Electrode Headset

Abstract

An electrode headset and electrodes that can be mounted therein are described. The electrode headset can be formed from substantially rigid components including some flexibility to snugly embrace a variety of head shapes and sizes, while providing reliable positioning of electrodes according to an electrode placement scheme on a subject's head. Alternatively, the electrode headset can be formed from soft and stretchable bands with voids formed therebetween.

1 . An electrode headset comprising: 
 a plurality of rigid bands, where the plurality of rigid bands are formed from a material including at least enough flexibility to flex in response to the electrode headset being positioned on a subject's head such that the plurality of rigid bands embrace the subject's head;    one or more electrode mounts included within the plurality of rigid bands, where each electrode mount is configured to mount an electrode and when the electrode headset is positioned on a subject's head, one or more electrodes mounted therein are positioned according to a desired electrode placement scheme relative to the subject's head;    the one or more electrodes, each electrode mounted within the one or more electrode mounts, where each electrode comprises: 
 an electrode plate;  
 a sensor circuit electrically connected to the electrode plate;  
 a gimbaled contact element adapted to contact the subject's head;  
 a conductive flexure element connecting the electrode plate and the gimbaled contact element and providing a conductive path therebetween.  
   
     
     
         2 . The electrode headset of  claim 1 , wherein the gimbaled contact element of each of the one or more electrodes includes one or more contact projections that are configured to directly contact the subject's head and provide a conductive path to the electrode plate without a conductive fluid intermediate between the contact projections and the subject's head.  
     
     
         3 . The electrode headset of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 electronic circuitry electrically connected to each of the one or more electrodes, and configured to receive signals from the one or more electrodes and to provide an output signal.    
     
     
         4 . The electrode headset of  claim 3 , wherein the electronic circuitry and wires electrically connecting the electronic circuitry to each of the one or more electrodes is embedded within the plurality of rigid bands.  
     
     
         5 . The electrode headset of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of rigid bands include: 
 a center band configured to position along a central back portion of the subject's head;    a left dorsal band and a right dorsal band, where each dorsal band projects from the center band and extends from the back portion of the subject's head toward the subject's forehead; and    a left temporal band and a right temporal band, where each temporal band projects from the center band and extends from the back portion of the subject's head toward the subject's left and right temporal regions respectively.    
     
     
         6 . An electrode headset comprising: 
 a plurality of rigid bands, where the plurality of rigid bands are formed from a material including at least enough flexibility to flex in response to the electrode headset being positioned on a subject's head such that the plurality of rigid bands embrace the subject's head;    one or more electrode mounts included within the plurality of rigid bands, where each electrode mount is configured to mount an electrode and when the electrode headset is positioned on the subject's head, one or more electrodes mounted therein are positioned according to a desired electrode placement scheme relative to the subject's head; and    the one or more electrodes, each electrode mounted within the one or more electrode mounts, where each electrode comprises: 
 an electrode plate;  
 a sensor circuit electrically connected to the electrode plate; and  
 a contact element including an upper surface in contact with the electrode plate and a lower surface configured to contact the subject's skin, wherein the contact element is adapted to contain a conductive fluid and provide a conductive path from the subject's skin to the sensor circuit by way of the electrode plate therebetween.  
   
     
     
         7 . The electrode headset of  claim 6 , wherein the contact element included in each of the one or more electrodes comprises an absorbent pad.  
     
     
         8 . The electrode headset of  claim 6 , further comprising: 
 electronic circuitry electrically connected to each of the one or more electrodes, and configured to receive signals from the one or more electrodes and to provide an output signal.    
     
     
         9 . The electrode headset of  claim 8 , wherein the electronic circuitry and wires electrically connecting the electronic circuitry to each of the one or more electrodes is embedded within the plurality of rigid bands.  
     
     
         10 . The electrode headset of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of rigid bands include: 
 a center band configured to position along a central back portion of the subject's head;    a left dorsal band and a right dorsal band, where each dorsal band projects from the center band and extends from the back portion of the subject's head toward the subject's forehead; and    a left temporal band and a right temporal band, where each temporal band projects from the center band and extends from the back portion of the subject's head toward the subject's left and right temporal regions respectively.    
     
     
         11 . An electrode headset comprising: 
 a plurality of rigid bands including; 
 a center band configured to position along a central back portion of a subject's head, the center band comprising a middle portion positioned between a lower portion extending toward the lower rear of the subject's head and a forked upper portion extending toward the upper back of the subject's head and substantially symmetrical about a sagittal plane;  
 a left temporal band and a right temporal band, where each temporal band projects from the center band and extends from the rear of the subject's head toward the subject's left and right temporal regions respectively, where each temporal band includes at least a first and a second finger extending from the distal end of the temporal band and where the first and second fingers include distal ends terminating in the frontal region of the subject's head;  
   a plurality of electrode mounts formed within each of the center, left temporal and right temporal bands, where each electrode mount is configured to receive and mount an electrode and when the electrode headset is positioned on the subject's head, one or more electrodes mounted therein are positioned according to a desired electrode placement scheme relative to the subject's head; and    the one or more electrodes, each electrode mounted within the one or more electrode mounts, where each electrode comprises: 
 an electrode plate;  
 a sensor circuit electrically connected to the electrode plate;  
 a gimbaled contact element adapted to contact the subject's head;  
 a conductive flexure element connecting the electrode plate and the gimbaled contact element and providing a conductive path therebetween.  
   
     
     
         12 . The electrode headset of  claim 11 , wherein the gimbaled contact element of each of the one or more electrodes includes one or more contact projections that are configured to directly contact the subject's head and provide a conductive path to the electrode plate without a conductive fluid intermediate between the contact projections and the subject's head.  
     
     
         13 . The electrode headset of  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 electronic circuitry electrically connected to each of the one or more electrodes, and configured to receive signals from the one or more electrodes and to provide an output signal.    
     
     
         14 . The electrode headset of  claim 13 , wherein the electronic circuitry and wires electrically connecting the electronic circuitry to each of the one or more electrodes is embedded within the plurality of rigid bands.  
     
     
         15 . An electrode headset comprising: 
 a plurality of rigid bands including; 
 a center band configured to position along a central back portion of a subject's head, the center band comprising a middle portion positioned between a lower portion extending toward the lower rear of the subject's head and a forked upper portion extending toward the upper back of the subject's head and substantially symmetrical about a sagittal plane;  
 a left temporal band and a right temporal band, where each temporal band projects from the center band and extends from the rear of the subject's head toward the subject's left and right temporal regions respectively, where each temporal band includes at least a first and a second finger extending from the distal end of the temporal band and where the first and second fingers include distal ends terminating in the frontal region of the subject's head;  
   a plurality of electrode mounts formed within each of the center, left temporal and right temporal bands, where each electrode mount is configured to receive and mount an electrode and when the electrode headset is positioned on the subject's head, one or more electrodes mounted therein are positioned according to a desired electrode placement scheme relative to the subject's head; and    the one or more electrodes, each electrode mounted within the one or more electrode mounts, where each electrode comprises: 
 an electrode plate;  
 a sensor circuit electrically connected to the electrode plate; and  
 a contact element including an upper surface in contact with the electrode plate and a lower surface configured to contact the subject's skin, wherein the contact element is adapted to contain a conductive fluid and provide a conductive path from the subject's skin to the sensor circuit by way of the electrode plate therebetween.  
   
     
     
         16 . The electrode headset of  claim 15 , wherein the contact element included in each of the one or more electrodes comprises an absorbent pad.  
     
     
         17 . The electrode headset of  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 electronic circuitry electrically connected to each of the one or more electrodes, and configured to receive signals from the one or more electrodes and to provide an output signal.    
     
     
         18 . The electrode headset of  claim 17 , wherein the electronic circuitry and wires electrically connecting the electronic circuitry to each of the one or more electrodes is embedded within the plurality of rigid bands.  
     
     
         19 . An electrode headset comprising: 
 a plurality of bands, where: 
 the plurality of bands are formed from a soft and stretchable material conformable to a subject's head such that the plurality of bands embrace the subject's head; and  
 a plurality of voids are formed between the plurality of bands, such that portions of the top of the subject's head remain exposed when the subject is wearing the electrode headset;  
   one or more electrode mounts included within the plurality of bands, where each electrode mount is configured to mount an electrode and when the electrode headset is positioned on the subject's head, one or more electrodes mounted therein are positioned according to a desired electrode placement scheme relative to the subject's head; and    the one or more electrodes, each electrode mounted within the one or more electrode mounts, where each electrode comprises: 
 an electrode plate;  
 a sensor circuit electrically connected to the electrode plate;  
 a gimbaled contact element adapted to contact the subject's head;  
 a conductive flexure element connecting the electrode plate and the gimbaled contact element and providing a conductive path therebetween.  
   
     
     
         20 . The electrode headset of  claim 19 , further comprising: 
 electronic circuitry electrically connected to each of the one or more electrodes, and configured to receive signals from the one or more electrodes and to provide an output signal.    
     
     
         21 . The electrode headset of  claim 19 , wherein the gimbaled contact element to each of the one or more electrodes includes one or more contact projections that are configured to directly contact the subject's head and provide a conductive path to the electrode plate without a conductive fluid intermediate between the contact projections and the subject's head.  
     
     
         22 . An electrode headset comprising: 
 a plurality of bands, where: 
 the plurality of bands are formed from a soft and stretchable material conformable to a subject's head such that the plurality of bands embrace the subject's head; and  
 a plurality of voids are formed between the plurality of bands, such that portions of the top of the subject's head remain exposed when the subject is wearing the electrode headset;  
   one or more electrode mounts included within the plurality of bands, where each electrode mount is configured to mount an electrode and when the electrode headset is positioned on the subject's head, one or more electrodes mounted therein are positioned according to a desired electrode placement scheme relative to the subject's head; and    the one or more electrodes, each electrode mounted within the one or more electrode mounts, where each electrode comprises: 
 an electrode plate;  
 a sensor circuit electrically connected to the electrode plate; and  
 a contact element including an upper surface in contact with the electrode plate and a lower surface configured to contact the subject's skin, wherein the contact element is adapted to contain a conductive fluid and provide a conductive path from the subject's skin to the sensor circuit by way of the electrode plate therebetween.  
   
     
     
         23 . The electrode headset of  claim 22 , further comprising: 
 electronic circuitry electrically connected to each of the one or more electrodes, and configured to receive signals from the one or more electrodes and to provide an output signal.    
     
     
         24 . The electrode headset of  claim 22 , wherein the contact element included in each of the one or more electrodes comprises an absorbent pad.  
     
     
         25 . An electrode headset comprising: 
 a plurality of rigid bands;    one or more electrode mounts included within the plurality of rigid bands; and    an electrode mounted within each of the one or more electrode mounts, the electrode configured to detect a bio-signal from a subject wearing the electrode headset;    wherein the plurality of rigid bands are formed from a material with sufficient flexibility to flex in response to the electrode headset being positioned on the subject's head and sufficient resilience such that when the electrode headset is positioned on the subject's head and electrodes are mounted in the electrode mounts the plurality of rigid bands press the electrodes against the subject's head.    
     
     
         26 . The electrode headset of  claim 25 , wherein each electrode comprises: 
 an electrode plate; 
 a sensor circuit electrically connected to the electrode plate;  
 a gimbaled contact element adapted to contact the subject's head;  
 a conductive flexure element connecting the electrode plate and the gimbaled contact element and providing a conductive path therebetween.  
   
     
     
         27 . The electrode headset of  claim 25 , wherein each electrode comprises: 
 an electrode plate; 
 a sensor circuit electrically connected to the electrode plate; and  
 a contact element including an upper surface in contact with the electrode plate and a lower surface configured to contact the subject's skin, wherein the contact element is adapted to contain a conductive fluid and provide a conductive path from the subject's skin to the sensor circuit by way of the electrode plate therebetween.